Recession Stirs Resentment Among Millennials, But They Also See Opportunity

JWT Study Examines Downturn's Impact on Young Americans

NEW YORK, April 20 /PRNewswire/ -- As many as three out of five 18- to
29-year-old Americans believe the recession is dealing their generation an
unfair blow, according to "The Recession and Its Impact on the Millennial
Market," a quantitative research report released today by JWT, one of the
largest advertising agencies in the world.

Despite this resentment, some Millennials see opportunity amid the downturn:
44 percent say the current housing situation actually makes them feel
optimistic about buying a home, and a quarter say that if they lose or have
trouble finding a job, they'll just start their own business.

"The Millennial generation has never before faced adversity of this proportion
-- they are new to a tight job market where wages are depressed," says Ann
Mack, director of trendspotting at JWT. "Brands can get behind Millennials by
subtly acknowledging their tough situation and helping them navigate the
recession by offering easy-to-understand guidance. Marketers can also
spotlight opportunities and show young adults how to take advantage of them."

The survey also examined how the economy is affecting Millennial teens and
found that recession-related issues are replacing typical teenage ego-centric
worries -- concern about whether there will be good jobs after graduation or
whether the teen will have to give up some things he/she likes are trumping
worries about school performance and attractiveness.

The survey, fielded Feb. 11-16, polled 1,065 Americans aged 18-plus, 243 of
whom were 18-29. In addition, 96 teenagers (aged 13-19) residing in the homes
of the adult participants were surveyed. This is the 16th installment of JWT's
six-year-old proprietary AnxietyIndex, launched during the run-up to the Iraq
war to track the level and intensity of consumer anxiety and, importantly, the
drivers of it.

Other findings from the report include:

-- Teens are more anxious than even their parents suspect: 64 percent of
teens say they are nervous or anxious given everything that's going
on in the world, the country and their family's life, while 54
percent of parents would describe their teens as nervous/anxious.
-- The Internet and mobile phone were chosen by teens and young adults as
the entertainment and socialization platforms they'd be most
reluctant to give up for budget reasons:
-- Only 11 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds said they would give these
up
if money became tight. By contrast, 61 percent said they would
forgo
their DVR/TiVo or buying video games/equipment.
-- 90 percent of teens said they would be very or somewhat bothered
if
they had to give up their Internet connection; 73 percent said the
same of their mobile phone. By contrast, only about a third of
teens
said they would be bothered if they had to give up buying video
games or participating in extracurricular activities.

"The Web and mobile devices offer connectivity and a wide array of content and
applications at little to no cost, and as a result, they can easily replace
paid products and services," says Mack. "Teens and young adults already see
their mobiles and the Web as extensions of themselves, but the downturn is
only increasing that bond and time spent with these platforms."

Full findings from "The Recession and Its Impact on the Millennial Market" can
be downloaded from the Trends and Research section of JWT's
http://anxietyindex.com.

About AnxietyIndex.com
JWT's AnxietyIndex.com is an interactive site designed as a place to discover
and discuss how brands and consumers are responding to the global recession.
With daily content updates and major research and trend reports added
frequently, AnxietyIndex.com includes contributions from around JWT's network,
offering a truly global perspective.

About JWT
JWT is the world's best-known marketing communications brand. Headquartered in
New York, JWT is a true global network with more than 200 offices in over 90
countries employing nearly 10,000 marketing professionals.

JWT consistently ranks among the top agency networks in the world and
continues its dominant presence in the industry by staying on the leading edge
-- from producing the first-ever TV commercial in 1939 to developing
award-winning branded content for brands such as Freixenet, Ford and HSBC.

JWT's pioneering spirit enables the agency to forge deep relationships with
clients including Bayer, Cadbury, Diageo, DTC, Ford, HSBC, Johnson & Johnson,
Kellogg's, Kimberly-Clark, Kraft, Nestle, Nokia, Rolex, Schick, Shell,
Unilever, Vodafone and many others. JWT's parent company is WPP (Nasdaq:
WPPGY).

CONTACT: Alyson Valpone
212-210-7825
alyson.valpone@jwt.com

SOURCE JWT

Alyson Valpone of JWT, +1-212-210-7825, alyson.valpone@jwt.com